Simulated baseball game



Sheets-Sheet J. J. BRAUND SIMULATED BASEDALL GAME ,1 l TOTAL SCORE` DISK ALL vGAME Y.

Filed May 12, 1947 Sept. l 1950 N BALLS Daclslo LIGHT N3,

RIGHTHAND BATTER 6 7A B 9 l0 f l 2q/wv .'J. skid/vo,

BATTERg-A LEFTHAND BATTER 4 v -o -o o o o o o o e INNINGS PLAYED FEEN o 3 e o 0 o o o o Q J. J. BRAUND 2,521,500

SIMULATED BASEBALL GAME i i5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 5, 195o Filed May 12. 1947 J. J. BRAUND lSIMULATED BASEBALL GAME Sept. 5, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I Filed May 12, 1947 Patented Sept.y t5, 1950 y, a' vv2,521,5901

` v.snif/rim'chianti BASEBALL" GAME.

This invention relates to games of skill. In

iknovel-gaine wherein a playing element is man- .Y ually guided along a course of somewhat greater .-`}width manine playing. element with the Object 'zfof preventingthe playing boundaries which ffourse. I y

' Since fa touch;maynt rbe"discernible readily o'ft'he eye it.l is preferred to construct the game-.in anf electric form. so that atouch `will ...be electrically registered.' as by an electric light 'r'other electrically operated signal.

f Again, since it 'is easier `to avoid ,a touch by 'Sllding the, vplaying ,elementjalo'ngthe course slcwlygitisfurtherDIOlOSCd, as anauxiliary fea- :.t're'fof .the vinvention,,Ito employ a', timer which y.'willlx .the playing timefor. traversing the coiuse. 1A registering dei/ice may be .employedin conjuncg, l-tiomwith thetime'r which'will indicate' whether .orjnot the `course has beentraverse'd within the allotted playing time.`1 l y. i While an interesting game of skill may be provided incorporating only the features above described, it is further proposedyto employ such features as the basic unit With additional features' for the playing of `known games. rlhe in- "ventionis )well'adapted to andincludes afbaseball game of lskill as hereafter morey vfully pointed jout. f' vItis als'o adapted forother games of sport ,fsu/ch asy football, basketball, etc. j A plurality Vof parallel courses may beprovided'for. simulated lxf v 9...-131995. :.unit'are'almost limitless.

jf; byreference to ythe baseball game embodiment f thereofillustrated in the accompanying drawings hereaf'terto be described; I' f' 1A' "lngsuchdrawings: f n

4lligglfgis a top plan view of a baseball game ccording to the invention;

l xwitli'threplaying board and certain 'other parts removed -`to show interior construction;

. Fig. l'is afragmentary transfer section taken atrightanglesfftoFig;

nig. ais a .longitudinal section l taken on line Eig. 'fl is a t'o'p plan-view of a switch 'device ccnelement fromftouching define theoppositesides of the v `Ifn factfthe adaptations of the basic game hev invention will bernore `fully understood Fig. 2 is aplan View corresponding to Fig. 1 y

y-1 i'g."3l is a fragmentary sectional elevation of struction forthe course of the'basic game unit;

Astitliting an auxiliary'featureci the invention; 55

' .rotin Jrcrauna, waghmgtorg D.v c, Y '-'ppiicatinlMayia 1 ts broader aspect, the invention is directed to a l 2 l .Fig` 8 is a wiringdiagram fortlie Ycoiriplete game and incorporating vthe switch .of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is an elevation of a playing pin employed for scoring and other purposes in connection with theinvention. ,f l f n The course to betraversed `is provided by a ,member Ii) havingv an elongated yslot I3 defined byopposite boundaries on side walls Ifl and I2. Thecourse is ypreferably of hazardous character to make it more difculttotraverse. This is accomplished in the present form by making the slot or channel I3 of sinuous-character.

Thefplaying element designedto be manually j guided along `thecourse provided by slot I3 is most conveniently constructed as an elongated stylus-like element I4 which in portion I5 at the .level of member I0 is 'only slightly narrower than the width of the slot or channel I3.

.In order that a touch of member I4 against sides Il lor I2 of slot YI3 may be known 'denitelyn `sides Iland I2 are made electrically conductive and playing element Ill,.or at least'the portion of surface I5 in the= plane of member I0, is made electrically conductive. In the form shown, but not necessarily, the slotted member I0 is made of aluminum or any othersuitable metal and playing element I4 is composed of a tapered steel orbrass rod which may or may not incorporate an insulating sheath'. Member IU which incorporates the channel, playingf'element Il-l and a drycell battery I6 are-located ina 'series circuit -with an electric signal lamp I'I shown inFigs. 2

f cuit remains open. 'l

ande. When playing element Ill'contacts either vof the walls yII `and I2 ofthel channely member lll the circuit is closed to energize lamp I'I.v As

long as element 'I4 is guided through the channel Without contact With the side walls, the cirvIn order that accidental tilting of element I4 "a's .well as *lateral bodily shifting. thereof o-if a true course through 4channel rI3 may result in touching ofv the"v playing element l surface I5 a `against one crthe other sides II and I2 denn- `ing thechannelgmember IIJ can be elevated, as shown-'infFigs 3 and-4, supported in spacedrelation to 'baseband 2u by legs 'la-anc lsfhere j shown as integral withv member A Ill and `suitably :secured tcboard 20. 'V'With such arrangement, playing element .14. projects below member I0.

The lower end thereof will-slide along fasup- .v ,porting surface :which is here constituted, for ,reasons .hereafter'to be explained-by a series :of longitudinally adjoining but slightly spaced elecy positions' the ch'a nels-representing them videdjwith 2K5-seasons in playing board 4I, as above explained. timing device lrovi'dedr-to XytheA perio for moving playing element- I channelled nomical ofi ma 'ufaetire Lande-beso locatedn members Il D and# B;*-"Tlf`1 e"same fincludes a time dial 5 1: located on yplaying"boardid Il bet/Weertchan--A nelledi members ifand 60.

cjacungf with the hou/n fui-Figa l' and 'shaft 69-ijournalle`d red to shaft 1691 dia-l isa pointer S-bl As b 1 Slidablygupporte'db'l a' bracket y'Hl lengthwise ffbackboard 20am @Meeting upwaediy'ithrough actuating'rodV l'c'rnectingf-Withfa cord 16`passing around pulley 'i3"a`nd secured-lat its opposite end to a spring Il anchoredto backboard Zby a bracket 18.l Pulling Yactuating rod'flfoutwardly through its/handle Ilfto its maximum jlimit as determined bybracket'M'rota-tes' pointer-68 relative to-dial-i'l 'causing' a *complete revolution position'. 'f 'v t Dial 6'( is shown Sfbeizti calibrated inl arbitrary units, althougliit anbe calibrated for seconds or minutes. It "ispreferrd'-'thati the timerbe of a variable speed-type so ltliatit can be 'seth for slow operation for [inexperienced Yplayers rand to nx a shorter period forielement Hl to complete its adjustable vfriction bjrakefiv is Vmounted-on' a sup'- port 8lV in frictional engagementfwithod15';

A shaft 82de threaded-'in supportl andis prof a shoulder' 'engaging 'thev upper'side'of brake SIL` lIliefupper*end :of tii'esiiaft projects ,througir theplaying-: boardl" land lis provided with 'anadjustment knob`83,y y

Itis intended'that't e"'plz a,yerV opposing the player atbatshall-operatethetiming mechanism. The player Iat'bat places y'element' I4' at 'thestarte ing lend of one, of' the channelled membersjl and tdWind the 'timingmechanisml ""hpla'yer 'at bat vcallsttlfiat rie-is ready`tostart,` Whereuponthe opposing player vreleas'es` ro mechanism" running. f;

When theplayer-at vbat elects` to try for a' base on balls orfa horne'run; dispute may 'be' avoided vas to whether he vreaches'thennish'end of one'o'f the channel'Y members "byV .providing a spring arm switch 84 the circuit of'larnp 48 in the catchers boxwhich, `as shvvnin Fig.'7 ,1 is designed' to be opened by anjactuatinlg :arm 85. secured to actuat ing .rod 1 5 of the timing mechanism-just assuch rod has reached 4tliefien'd of'its stroke at the termination of 'the playingjperiod. If playingfe'lehannel'to contact' plate 23 of memberllorthe orrespond# ing plate'of channeled meinber lotted period'lamp All 'Willfrliglitnomen brokenf-by--thepping witch 'inthe al; `1y'be' fore its circuit'is s4.' n; nwever, the' 'uni-ngperioaffhas aired before playing element I4 has-'made cont ct'with the plate, la mp 48 will notlight. 11., y

It will beunderstod that timeA invention intofsitartf the timing theboundary Wallsand'furtherjelectric'ally op posing spaced walls;'a manually -inovableffel cludes as its primaryy construction one 'l or lioref coursesvv defined 1 byff-boundariesl orfsidesfthrough- `Which manually guided! means are movediiwith the objective! o f `avoiding contactf of suoli means'j vvitnlthe boundaries orsides:v Such-primar cor-1i-Y nili junction With the variou'selectric "signaling-Y and theftimigfmeansiunctioninginlthe manner? v above explameu Therme-ationlfurtherfinciuds the-"described seball glarnfempl'oying' one more courses a (-in'anually' guided infiea/ns--` primary operating-features.

by 'elec tricaiiyl cor-iducuvacppp'f-f ing spaced boundary waus; electricallycon-duel' tivebottom means; V` electrically insulated from lthe" boundary Walls; 4afmanual-ly movable playing=ele`- l ment adaptedtof' befmoved 'along' the course with the View of preventing'contact 'of' trie playirrgele nient with vthe[boundary Walls', lsaid playing; ele ment having an` electrically conductivefend adapted to make sliding supportin fand electric' Contact 'with the bottom'A meansv 'havin electrically conductiveintermediat portionn rou/fer than the courseadapted toi elle ct'rica'llyco'n-` tact tlie'boundary-pvalls; electrically op` a erate`d v nalv means adapted to'register yc`o1.'1 tac tx of the termediate portion ofthe playing elementv adaptedto registerjtcontact ln/ry;y

ated signal means said end of thel playing elemento/ith vtle .b o 1`;to

2.v Afgame accordingtojclaim 1 wherein; bottom means includes 'separate'. c ctric'ally c ductive members telectricallginsulated fr another and underlying in iiif'erent l lori'gitu areas of the course'a` nd there are electrically o eratedsignal means adapted to register contac the end of the'playngglelement with each' or electricallyconductivevbottornmembers; 34A game including an elongated ch nri'el course defined by electrically conduct'i "opl` tricallyconductiveplaying element having .apc

tion narrowergthan the" ,channel course' adapted tovbe 'movedvthrougn the: course with the "View ci preventing contact thereoiywitlr the' "opposing Walls but capable of makingcontact vvitli` said Walls, timing means adapted'to ,be startedfrurr ning when 'the playing elementaislnoperatively positioned in one endA of the cl{1annel cours i'lxv a predetermined period'for'movement' 'f playing eIementjtotlie other end'of 'tnefc rse; electric signa1 means voperatively,connected 'toi the"oppo sin'g Walls land the'playing-element adapted to register contact of said Walls by 'the playin'g element, an' electric contact adapted'to be contacted by the vplaying element upon reach-y ing the second end of' the' course, electric signal means'opera'tively connected to saidfelectfric con# tact andthe playing element'and adapted Vto register arrival o the playing elementfat' 4'the second end of the-course, and acircuit breaker responsive toY the timing' meansto rendersaid latter signal means "inoperative 'at the endlfiofA the 'time -rperiod xedbythe't'iming means; said v electric contact at the second end ofA the course .being accessible to Contact by the playing-ele# menti-both lWh'ensaid latterl sgnalfimjarl s` eh21-,soci

capabletot:operation'and-When said` signal meansY is'rendered. inoperativeybygsaid: circuit breaker;

4".;Af; gamer including vanV elongatedz channel' course? dened ,by :electrically conductive,- opposa ingfspaced walls,` a manuallygmovable;electricallyconductivecfplaying elementA having;` an; inter;- nfiedfiate portion @narrower than the 'i coursel adapted to 'be-.moved through the course'vvith the viewffof` preventing;l contact of said;l portion lwith said. Walls butcapable vof contacting; said .-vvalls; said.y playing element' terminating in an end'L beyond said intermediate--por-tion,z an. electric contact located .at theibottomw of. the channel at onefend. cfa-the course: adapted to make contact with saidend zof` the playing element when thethe-.playing element when the .playing element` iscoperativelypositionedat the second endothe,

course, electrically, operated signal means.. re-

sponsive..toelectricf;contact. of lthe playing.i element With saidsecondelectric contact, and elecf trically operative. signal means.y responsive to electric contact of the playing element .with .the walls of .the.course..

.5.Af baseball game, including,YA abatter,v action device. comprising an elongated. ch'annellcourse defined by electrically conductive, opposing spaced .walls i and..having indicia` 4arranged at in-. tervals'v along-the course denoting. diierent favore able actions. by. a batter, an electricallyv con ductive batter, action -element having a portion narrower than the channel course adaptedto be moved. manually therethrough from. one end thereof with the vievv.v of reaching a position opposite a, preselected'.` favorable batter action indiciagwithout contact with the course wallsbut capable of i making electrical contact with' said Walls; and electric signal means denotingadverse batter action electricallyy interconnected with' the course walls and the playingelement to operate upon electric contact of the playing element with' the course Walls.

6. A baseball gaine including a supporting frame, a playing board containing; the repree sentation of "a Abaseball."'jdi'ar`nondv :mounted in-the upper portion of the frame, a` batter `action de. vice set in the pl aying board"outwardly-- of the diamond and supportedbythe framedsaid {de}J vcecomprising, a Ametallic member v.formed with an. elongated." slot defined by, electrically` -conductive,v opposing-Walls' indiciadocated at linter-4 vals along said "slot 'denotingldiierent *favorable batter actions, ,an electrically. conductive batter action element having a portion 'narrower than' the slot and adaptedcto bemoved.manualiytherethrough vWith. the` views of.. preventing contact thereof ywith .theWal.E .of.the slot.an electric signal lamp for .registering adverseibatteri action set in the playing board-v andf supported ,by the frame,- saidisignal .lampbeing interconnectedby an electric circuit with theslotted .member and batter-,action .element-tc register electric contact of said elementwith the-.Waller of.. the. Slotted member, ,saidl .electriccircuit including,a zportionlocated beneath theplaying board intereonnecte ing Said signal lamp. and slotted member and in. cludingafurther- :ponticni comprising; a.-longfiietzev ible electric cordy extendingpiitwardot vthe board throughani. aperture@ at` home.'y plateY` off the diamondflandconnecting with the v batter f actionr element. Y

,'Zr: A- baseball lgame includingl a supporting framegaiplaying board containing the repre-- sentationl oft. a .baseball diamond mounted in theupper-portiorr of theirame, a batter action device settrin. the playing board outwardly of the diamondand supported by the. frame, said device comprising af-/metallicfmember lformed with anV elongated slot `dei-ined .byelectrically conductive, opposingy-walls,-indicia located .-at intervals along sa-idrslotf denoting different vfavorable batter actions, an electrically,conductive. batterA action element having a. portion narrower than. the slot andfadaptedrto be moved manually there-Y thrrmgh'.:Withthe-ViewV of preventing contact, thereof-.- vvith the-walls of the. slot, an electric signal lamp: for registering adverse batter action set in the playing board and supported bythe framegsaid 'signal lamp being interconnected by anelectricfl circuit With the slotted member and batter-action element to register'electric contact 015,l saidelementwith the Walls of the slotted. member, an electric. contact adapted to be electrically contacted bythe batter action element when operatively positioned at the starting end of theA action slot, and a second signallamp set initliei-playingy boarclat'thel pitchers box of the diamond and supported by theframefsaid second signallamp being..y interconnected byan electric circuitwiththebatterV action element andisaid electric contact to register when said element andcontact are inelectric contact.

. 8., A'. baseballv game including av supporting frame, ay playing board.k containing the. representation otabaseball diamond mounted in the upper-.portion of theframe, a batter action device set in thelplayingboard outwardly of the diamond and supported by the frame,.said device comprisimg a lmetallic,member formed with an elongated slot .deinedbyelectrically conductive, opposing Walla. indicia Alocated at kintervals along said vvslot denotingf. different. favorable ybatter actions, an electrically vconductive batter action elementhaY-f inga. portion narrower than .the slot andadapted. to be moved manually. therethrough with the view 4.of Ypreventingcontact thereof with thewalls of theslot, an electric signal lamp for registering, adverse.batteriaction-set in the playing board` and ysupportedby the. frame, said signal lamp being interconnected by an electric circuit with theislottedmember and batterfaction element to register'electric contact-of said element with the wallsof theslotted membena. ii'rst electric contactadaptedto .be-electrically contacted by the batter action element when operatively positioned at=the starting end iof the action. slot; a second ,signal vlamp-feet .in `the playing.. board at the pitchers 4box .of thev diamond. and .supported bytheframe, said second-,signal lamp being inter.- connected-byan electric circuit vvvvitlfrthe batter actionelement .and said rst electric contact'v to register when said .element and said first IContact are' in ielectriccontact, aasecond electric contact adapted to be electricallycontacted bythe batter action element uponsaid element reachingthe finish .endof thefaction slot, and a third signal lamp setlinfthe. playing boardat thecatcher.s boxfof-tha'diamond and supported by; ,the frame;

said signal .lamjp; :being interconnected Y. by

porting frame, an elongated course defined by opposing spaced boundary means, said course being mounted in the frame between opposite ends of the frame and extending in parallel relation to the side of the frame, a manually movable playing element having a portion narrower than the course and adapted to be moved along the course With the vievv of preventing touching of the boundary means by said portion of the playing element, dial and pointer type mechanical timing means mounted in the frame in spaced relation to the course and with its dial parallel to the frame and adapted to be started running When the playing element is operatively positioned at one end of the course and operating independently of the playing element to fix the period for movement of the lplaying element to the other end of the course, means for starting running of the timing means located adjacent one of said ends of the frame, signal means operative to record each contact of the boundary means by the playing element during movement along the course mounted in the frame adjacent the dial of the timing means and signal means having an energizing contact located in the bot tom of the course at the starting end of the course adapted to be contacted by the playing 10 element when inserted in the course preparatory to movement to energize the signal means to indicate the time for starting running of the timing means. f

JOI-IN J. BRAUND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 723,807 Babbitt et al Mar. 31, 1903 1,205,460 Lyons Nov. 21, 1916 1,647,276 Daman Nov. 1, 1927 1,992,218 K ludas Feb. 26, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 507,871 Great Britain June 22, 1939 OTHER REFERENCES Manual of Mental and Physical Tests by Whipple, Part 1, third edition, published 1924; page 152 cited. (Copy in Scientific Library, United ,States Patent Oice.) 

